You’ve been around the block a few times. You know the drill.
You do your thing, write whatever shebang you had planned, hit publish, tweet, Facebook share. Then rinse and repeat. Easy. Do it enough times and eventually you’ll become the much promised stuff of small business legend.
Except when you don’t.
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein
Having been lured onto the hamster wheel of blogging with the promise of more customers, happier clients, better social engagement … I’ll leave you to fill in the blanks, what do you on the days when it all feels a bit meh?
Because come on, be honest, we all have them. The meh days are one of the reasons why I quit regular blogging and started the magazine. What is it with this incessant need to churn out more content, more information, more noise?
What do you do on the days when you want to shout, “enough is enough, stop already!”
Regular readers will know that this was meant to be week three of the pillar content challenge. And it will be, just not today.
Today I have another one of my now infamous dares for you.
Close the lid on your laptop or switch off your machine (right after you’ve finished reading this of course!) Grab your keys and go outside.
If you’re feeling very brave (and come on, we know that everyone here at Tycoon Blogger is the stuff of steel so go for it!) I even dare you to leave your phone at home. The chances of you falling and bumping your head and needing to call for emergency first aid are very slim.
What you do when you get outside if your call and will depend somewhat on personal preference, the weather and where in the world you live.
However.
Here’s the key … go outside and do something that you love.
Let the grass grow under your feet a little. Do stuff that creates memories and then use that stuff to fuel your next blog post. Tell stories. Stop with the hamster wheel blogging and remember why you started doing this in the first place.
Seriously. What are you still doing here?
You were waiting for the conclusion? Too bad. You are the conclusion …
Go out and live a little, write about it and then come back and leave a comment telling us where to find your latest epic installment (remember to use your real name, not a keyword, anything else just looks like yucky old spam!) I promise to personally come over to your place and read all about it.
Go on, what are you waiting for? I dare you!
agree too much on the last part. laugh, smile stretch is somehow helpful specially when you are doing too much with your blog.
When I don't feel like writing anything, I go outside and play with my friends. I have a life ya know! lol
This is a very god idea, I'll ask my husband for us to go out with my kids so that I can freshen up my mind and relish the time with my kids and my loving husband..
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I think it's all up to you how you handle stress and pressure. Blogging to some is their way of releasing stress and boredom.
It's common knowledge that any action performed in excess is unhealthy and unproductive. Unfortunately, with bills and deadlines always nearing down on us, it takes a balanced mind to realize that you'll eventually get more work done if you take a break once in a while.
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I suggest that blog what you like, I mean what you want to blog about and when you want it.
But sometimes you need to set your schedule so that readers won't expect your post and receive an empty rss feed.
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I have been blogging for money and I try to spend it when I have time. Most of my blogging happen during Saturdays and Sundays. During football matches I try to stop working and enjoy my day with friends. I never miss my Sunday mass even though I have a quota to finish.
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I thought this was a great post. I'm a super busy-body and am on the run all the time and I often have trouble finding other's that are on the same page. They always have excuses why they can't do this, this and/or this. I double book myself almost every day, which isn't a great thing, but I also don't sit on my arse all day. Anyway, I liked the blog and I hope it inspired a few to get off their butts and live a little.
exactly, a very nicely presented informative article. I learnt something new here! blogging has been my daily life work but at the spare time i spend my time with my family..and there's a living for me…anyways thanks for the share!
It's amazing how we forget about life when we are busy living day to day, trying to make ends meet in our homes. Closing up the "noise" can be so refreshing, it's like a mini-vacation without the cost.
I have those days more than I'd care to admit. Getting up and away from the computer is not hard for me, but leaving my phone at home seems almost impossible! It's already been said but it's true. The secret is to stay balanced in life. Nothing in excess.
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I am with you, earning a living on blogging and I won't accept your dare to stop. I will create and create more to succeed. Your post is a mind opener for those who are not yet in the industry of blogging.
Great post, El…It's time to get refreshed…
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I agree. Sometimes it is beyond the common writer’s block. Sometimes it becomes a habit, an urge to write even though you have nothing to write no more. It is nice to see this post and that you also have the right to temporarily stop until you can come up with a new push to make your blog better.It’s always about loving what you do.
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We all work to live, but don't forget that we live for life! Work! work! work! We need to take a rest for a while to refresh our mind and body for another great work to do… Give yourself a time..
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Great post. I had read from a post somewhere that sometimes in order to improve or scale up our business, all we have to do is just get out there and meet as many people as we can. Just learn how to network and practice everyday.
This is the link if you are all interested:)
http://www.shoemoney.com/2011/04/19/the-real-secr…
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W- write to remember. One of the alphabet reminders of one's life. It could make sanity stable, since you can review and reflect on what you write. Many can be informed as well and gain knowledge on a certain topic. Just be sure to have a rest for there are other beautiful things to do/ experience. =) Keep posting, I'm following. =)
Thank for the great post, El. We need to rest, refresh our mind and body to be productive and have balanced life. We are so addicted to our computers and Internet that we often neglect our family and friends.
There has to be a balance in your life. All of us bloggers can get rather obsessed with all things blogging, with our article writing, seo and social networking. You are so right we have to discipline ourselves so that we set a time limit of how long we are going to blog tody, stick ti that, and get on with living a normal life.
Superb post man. I had a blog that I gave up a long time ago. To be honest, it made something I loved into work. Now after getting inspiration, i just started work on my blog. thanks a lot
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Everybody should do this – it's really good to get out and enjoy life. Work hard play hard – strike a good balance.
Its nice to step away from blogging sometimes, even if it is just to take a few days off. Often you return refreshed and ready to resume.
I tried turning off my laptop after reading this article then realised that I needed to make a comment!! so had to start it up again! it's very hard to put your laptop away or your pen down
some time it happens when my mind stuck no where and nothing new coming in it…i some time push my self to a place where i can think better and fast…….i always successes in this process, refreshes my mind and think better about new things…….i just need a spark to bring up my mind in a chain reaction.
I sometimes find that my relaxation time is actually still spent infront of a screen and I'm actually still working when it would be much better to just turn off the PC, get out, and enjoy life outside.
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Agree – I find my self spending far too much time looking for inspiration online, when I should be out there living!
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It's time to get refreshed! Bloggers can make better quality of posts when they have been outside doing some stuffs, making out with friends and seeing the world.
I have only started blogging recently but I have written professionally before and I have several strategies. First, I write about what I love. Second, I don't force it too much. I write most of the way through a post and then leave it, do something else. Often I will do some cleaning, laundry, yard work, etc- something physical, that is also a 'chore' and that takes my mind completely off of the writing. That makes me happier to get back to writing, since writing is the fun bit, plus a little physical exercise keeps your brain from shutting down and rejuvenates you wonderfully. I will spend a day or two doing this, going back to the post occasionally as I think of something clever that I had forgotten about earlier. It's amazing what your brain will come up with when you're not forcing it to think about the topic, the same way it finally remembers something once you quit actively trying to remember it. My latest post is: http://conservationheroes.blogspot.com/2011/06/ki…
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I love this post. It reminds us to live a balanced life. Luckily, my blog revolves around my passions so it enhances my life and has been a boost in meeting and interacting with new friends—business and personal. I will now take your advice and go out and enjoy my friends and life.
You're absolutely right. I don't even remember when was the last time since i've seen sunlight. Probably it was 2 or 3 weeks. I almost became like a night creature because i go outside on 8 pm and return back at 10 pm. Thanks for the advice.
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OMG! I so love to do that. Turn everything off and read a book or something. But if I do within minutes I will be craving for my computer screen. Can't do it.
El, you say to turn my laptop off….. That's crazy! lol. I spend a lot of time learning the internet business, can't stop now, not until I reach a good amount of side income ($5/day).
Close the lid on your laptop or switch off your machine (right after you’ve finished reading this of course!) Grab your keys and go outside.
I will take your advie and shut down.. i think I will pick up a book
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I think that it is sometimes difficult to remove myself from a goal even if results have been bland or negative up to this point. I tend to believe strongly (and perhaps stubbornly) on various efforts, believing that, eventually, something will come of it. Then again, I never really thought that I was sane to begin with.
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Great post man. I had a successful sports blog that I gave up a long time ago. To be honest, it made something I loved into work.
The problem is I do this way too much. I have not done any blogging in about six weeks because I like going out instead.
I sometimes find that my relaxation time is actually still spent infront of a screen and I'm actually still working when it would be much better to just turn off the PC, get out, and enjoy life outside.
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I did that a while ago. I just couldn't keep up with everything AND the blog, so I put it on hiatus. It feels so much better without the pressure to always be maintaining that momentum, especially at the expense of my own health and stress levels. Thanks for the reminder!
Delena
you know I have a very balanced life.I am a hardcore blogger and I am also doing job in a fine company .Still I enjoy my life a lot.I party a lot,I travel a lot and ya I also write a lot for my blog.
Very nice article El Edwards
Yesterday was that day – I closed my laptop, took my car keys and went to the forest about 100 miles away. I enjoyed the sun, the air, the birds' singing and …. fell asleep. When I woke up, I was as newly born- full of strengths and ideas and solutions to my problems which I had a lot recently.
Just what I needed to hear. I think some more family time is in order this weekend! Thanks for that.
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El, I love it! I think I have been playing a little too much and I have been having a hard time keeping up with my blogs lately. I will take your advie and shut down.. i think I will pick up a book (a real book) haven't done that in a while
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On the days that I don't feel like blogging (or don't have time, which is most days of the week, actually), I just don't write anything… I've given up on posting news articles because it's impossible to keep up, so I only post the news that I think matters to me and I want to share my view. Otherwise it's mostly articles that are not as "time sensitive" as news articles, that I publish.
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